Who cares where it came from or whether it's correct or not? Certainly not me

10

Aug 2002*

Well, sure it's just a BETTER version of Maginor, but that doesn't stop me from loving this one immediately.... Just kidding, this game is beyond fantastic. Only played two player, and not too often yet at that, but I had DREAMS about this game the night after I first played it, and that's GOOD.

This is the perfect 3 player game. I have loved this game from the first time I played it and I still love it. We don't break it out as often as I would like, but have enjoyed every game (even the ones I have lost!)

One of the best influence games I've played. Slight more luck in obtaining the bits to place than El Grande, but it has its own unique creative nature to make it different than El Grande, and a fun lighter game. The combatic theme has little combat that can't be known before you start your turn. No wargame feeling when you take over an area.

I was a little intimidated by all the bits in this game before we got it, but I'm not sorry we did. This is one of the most original and interesting games we have played. Although there are alot of bits, most of them are of the same type. These same bits have more than one use, which forces you to decide where they will be most valuable to you, both now and later in the game. This game always keeps us on our toes, without being stressful to play. It works very well for 2 players. We played once with 3, and that seemed to work fine too.

This is a great game. A real brain burner like chess. You constantly have to be considering your move, your opponents moves, your next move, the numbers on the board, the numbers in your court, the numbers in your opponent court and in his hand. Lots of details to keep track of or you'll slip up and give away the game.

Almost perfect game to 2 players who want to enjoy influence game. Very simple and good mechanism and hard to win, much to think. Because the situation is changing every turn, if you feel relaxed, you will lose the game.

3 player is definately the way to play this, i really like the way the number choosing works - similar to el caballero but it also affects the number choosing for the next round making the game completly circular and forcing some of the most agonizing decisions ive ever had to make!2 and 4 player games are good but nowhere near as tense as the 3 player game

Very good game. I find it similar to King of Siam (or viceversa) in the sense that it is difficult to make majorities in the colors you want to be powerful. An original majority game. Played only once with four(2-2) it is easy to understand, and quite deep. Pieces are ok, box too big.

2014.04.21 It's enjoyable and there's a lot of room for strategy and plotting. There's a definite social reading / theory of mind aspect involved in the selecting of the number discs at the beginning of a round. The turns move quickly: all you do is place three cubes and move the emperor token. But within that quick turn, you've got a great deal of swaying power. The area control battles feel Tigris & Euphrates-y, only more streamlined. The pacing feels right in that the game speeds up when things start getting dicey: since the 15 territories merge, near the end of the game you might have only 5 territories, meaning the emperor moves around them much more speedily. Really fun. (Based on a two-player session.)

2014.05.03 Upping the rating. This is the Ticket to Ride of area control games.

2015.02.22 Had to up it even more. It's just that good. Gets more fun with every play.

There must have been a moment at the beginning, where we could have said no. Somehow we missed it. Well, we'll know better next time.

9.2

Jan 2012

If you like lightly themed abstracts like King of Siam and Medina, then this game is for you. Those are two of my favorite games, and I was immediately enraptured by this one. Very spatial game involving "investing" in colors to compete for control of islands that can then merge together. Another twist on this one is that it has a bit of luck in the form of dice. I suppose you could do a diceless variant for those who prefer no-luck games, I think it would still hold up well.Played it 2-player, I think it would be even more interesting with 3.